One Maoist killed in gun battle with joint forces

Jhargram (WB): In a gun battle between
the joint security forces and Maoists inside a forest in West
Midnapore district on Wednesday, one ultra was killed, police said.

Personnel of the joint forces and policemen from
Belpahari police station raided forested areas of Talpukuria
and Madhupur, adjacent to Barikul area of neighbouring Bankura
district, where the Maoists had attacked two camps of security
personnel on January 25 killing one.
The sources said the raid followed a tip off that the
Maoists group involved in the attack in Barikul had taken
shelter in the forested area.

Seeing the securitymen, the Maoists started firing and
the men in uniform retaliated. After a three-hour gun battle,
the ultras managed to flee.

The body of one Maoist was found in the forest, the
sources said adding his body was taken to Belpahari.
Unconfirmed reports, however, put to the toll to two.
Meanwhile, a Bankura report said an IRB personnel,
Ajoy Pande, who had gone missing after the attack in the
camps, came to the Barikul police station this morning.

However, the police were tightlipped about what had
happened to him during and after the attack. He was being
questioned.